Opening Bell
Deep Knowledge
Expert warned of submersible risk years ago
Rob McCallum has been on seven expeditions to the Titanic. He’s dived 35,000-plus feet to Challenger Deep, the deepest known point of the seabed. He was test manager for Jim Cameron’s Deep Sea Challenge 3D documentary. McCallum is the founder of EYOS Expeditions, widely considered the world’s foremost provider of marine-based private expeditions. The company…
‘Quietly Awesome’
Pillar Properties employees do their jobs without fanfare. That’s just the company way
Pillar Properties employees are humble, not cocky. They’re service- and solutions-oriented. And they’re “Quietly Awesome.” The Seattle-based multifamily developer’s internal mantra began as a commitment to customers. It now guides daily decisions and is included in every job description, interview, and performance review. “It’s going above and beyond without recognition. It’s doing the right thing…
‘No Jerks Allowed’
Public relations firm Fearey’s culture is thriving, in no small part in response to the pandemic
Aaron Blank doesn’t pretend to know what the future of work looks like. Right now, however, Blank — CEO and president of Seattle PR agency Fearey — has no plans to bring his firm’s workers back into an office. “I’m enjoying this lifestyle we’re offering our employees, and we’re trying to meet our employees where…
On Reflection: On Brand
What's the top brand in Seattle? Think hot dogs and chicken
Maybe it’s the $1.50 hot dogs. Perhaps it’s the $4.99 rotisserie chicken. Or other fast-selling items such as bacon, gas, or toilet paper. Whatever it is, Issaquah-based Costco is among the best-known brands in the United States. The warehouse retailer — it operates 33 stores in Washington, 848 worldwide and boasts 123 million members —…
Statshot: Biopharma Bonanza
State boasts diverse areas of expertise
Washington’s life science industry is thriving. The sector includes academic and nonprofit research institutions and companies conducting research and development in biotech, medical devices, digital health, bioagriculture, biofuels, and veterinary medicine. Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News ranks the state’s life science cluster among the top 10 in the United States. The Numbers 11,000 Life science…
The X Factor
Health tech startup takes an unusual path
Xealth is not your typical startup. Its main backers aren’t venture capital firms but more than a dozen health systems, including the Cleveland Clinic, Atrium Health, and Banner Health. Oracle-owned Cerner, one of the largest electronic medical records companies globally, is another investor. Its customer base is varied, ranging from health providers, hospital systems, and…
Food for Good
Seattle's Conscious Hospitality is about planet, people and, of course, profit
While living in Los Angeles several years ago, Norman Wu got caught up in the burgeoning poke craze and dined on the diced raw fish several times each week. Then, the headhunting firm he and his business partner, Danny Brawer, had launched in 2014 was acquired. The two young entrepreneurs — who met as fourth…
On Reflection: Bringing ’Em Back
Hotel operators anticipate bump as bumbershoot and bite return
The return of Bumbershoot and the Bite of Seattle have hotel operators optimistic about the second half of 2023. A report by commercial real estate firm Marcus & Millichap also notes that international tourism “is likely to ramp up” with China loosening travel restrictions. More than 175,000 Chinese tourists came to Seattle in 2019 and…
Statshot: Washington wineries, restaurants pack economic punch
It’s probably the last thing on your mind when dining at your favorite restaurant or enjoying a Pinot at your go-to winery, but you’re providing a big boost to Washington’s economy. 2: National rank as wine producer in U.S. 80: Varieties produced 90: Percent of wineries making fewer than 5,000 cases per year 400: Wine…
Parametrix: All for One
As an employee-owned company Parametrix has its perks, but staffers also embrace the work
It sounds counterintuitive: Seattle engineering company Parametrix thinks “beyond the dollars.” So says Jeff Peacock, who recently vacated his position as CEO to become chairman of the board of directors. It’s why Parametrix moved to become employee-owned more than 30 years ago. And it’s a key reason why employees voted the firm onto the Best…
Having a (Basket) Ball
Professional men's basketball finally returns to Seattle
Fifteen years after NBA legend Kevin Durant hit the last basket in Seattle SuperSonics history, the wife-husband team of Jacqueline Yang and Pierre Cockrell Sr. are bringing men’s professional basketball back to the hoops-starved city. They are the owners of the expansion Seattle Super Hawks, a men’s minor league basketball club that will begin play…
On Reflection: Living the Dream
Washington ranks high for prosperity in annual study
Amazon and Microsoft are slashing jobs. Housing prices and rents in the Seattle area remain among the highest in the United States. Recession fears grip the country. Washington state, however, is enjoying a run of prosperity. So says the Milken Center for Advancing the American Dream in its annual American Dream Prosperity Index, which ranks…
Statshot: Getting High
A building planned in Seattle could become among the tallest in the United States
Seattle could soon have the 10th-tallest building in the United States. If the project comes to fruition, the 701 Fourth Avenue Tower at Fourth Avenue and Columbia Street would become the tallest in the city, surpassing nearby Columbia Tower. The developer is Crescent Heights Inc., a real estate development company based in Miami. The 1,184-foot-tall…